Filing-tray construction



AM as wz; 1,499,353

" jl. WAGEMAKER mmm 'mAY coNsTRUcToN Filed Aug.. 11 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f InueMor Iwucwagemoken Patented Apr. 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES IsAAc WAGEMAKER, or GRAND nArIDs, mcnreav.

FILING-TRAY CONSTRUCTION.

i Application filed August 11, 1921.

To all whom z't may con-oem:

Be it known' that I, IsAAc VVAGEM'AKER,

a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain' new and useful Iinprovements in Filing-Tray Constructions; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates 'cor filing trays, and is particularly concerned with improvements and perfections in trays o-f the type shown in my previous application for Pat- "ent, Ser. No. 437,717, filed Jan. 17, 1921. f 'A primary object and purpose of the present invention is to construct the filing tray simply and economically from sheet metal and in such manner that the tray may be suspended on and between the sides of a drawer or like receptacle, the suspending means used being so formed that one may readily enter the fingers thereunder for removal o-f the tray fromfithe drawer, and the tray being equipped with a novel supporting foot for use when the same is removed from the drawer and supported on any flat surface. These trays are designed to be 3" placed side by side in a drawer, as in a desk or-other similar article of furniture capable of being used for filing, and supported so that their 'upper sides are all in the same horizontal plane ,irrespective of the different depths of the trays.

For a detailed explanation of the constructions embodying my invention, reference may be had to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a drawer equipped with one of the trays ofmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tray, looking at the same from above.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tray, looking at the same toward one end and from below the tray.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the difi'erent parts o'f the tray, except the supporting feet, in separated unassembled relation.

Fig.' 5, is a verticaltransverse section through the tray. i i

Fig. 6 yis a fragmentary vertical section through the supporting foot for the tray Serial No. 491,322.

i at right angles. These members thus formed have end members attached ,thereto, each consisting of a vertical plate 5 of sheet metal provided with inturned ears 6 at its lower edge spaced apart so that one passes under each end of each of the bottom sections 2. When the ends are placed against.

i the flanges 4 with ears passing under the bottom sections 2, the same may be permanently connected together. in any suitable manner, preferably, by electric spot welding. Each end plate 5, at its lower portion and between the inturned ears 6 is formed with an inwardly pressed embossing 7 hav- 'ing an opening 8 therethrough in which the rod on which the follower member usedv with filing receptacles is mounted. The inwardly pressed portions 7 lie between the flanges 3, as best shown in Fig. 5.

At its upper edge, each end plate 5 is extended upwardly at its center portion for a short distance, as indicated at 9 and then bent outwardly to form a lip 10, the middle portion of which is pressed upwardly to form a curved 'finger grip or hold 11.

The foot members for supporting the tray when placed on the top of a desk, table, or other flat support each comprisev a piece of flat sheet metal 12 having an opening punched therethrough, at the same time forming an annular depending flangeI 13 around the opening. A short cylindricalv piece of felt or equivalent soft material is forced through the opening. The diameter of the cylinder 14 normally is larger than the diameter of the opening but the material is readily subjected to compressionwhile going through 105 the opening, expanding` below the opening as shown in Fig. 6. The cylindrical pad 6 is thus securely held in place. The plates 12 are secured to the under sides of the bottom sections 2 of the tray at each corner by spot welding. With supporting feet of this character at the corners of the tray, the,

The trays When placed between the sides 15 of a drawer, as shown in Fig. 1 are hung fron the upper edges of the drawer by the lips 10 and with a plurality of trays in a drawer side by side, all have their upper sides in the same horizontal plane. It will be noted that the finger holds at 11 are raised above the upper edges of the drawer sufficiently for the entrance of the fingers, this being of value when the tray is either placed in the drawer or taken away therefrom, and of additional value in carrying the tray to any desired place. v

The invention is particularly practical and useful in filing in drawer-like receptaoles and has proved its merit in practice. The ap-pended claims define the invention and I consider myself entitled to all forms of construction coming within their scope.

I claim:

l. A filing tray having sides, ends and a bottom, said ends being of sheetmetal and at their upper portions substantially midway between their side edges being formed with integral lips bent outwardly substantially at right angles for suspending the tray between the sides of a receptacle, each of said lips having an upwardly pressed finger hold formed therein at an intermediate pormaawa the said sheet. metal sections and against said f flanges, each being formed with two spacedapart ears passing under the bottom sections, said ears` being connected to the bottom sections and said end plates being connected to the said flanges, and means at the upper portions of said end plates for suspending the tray on and between spaced-apart sides 'of a receptacle, substantially as described.

3. A iilingtray of sheet netal having sides, ends and bottom, supporting foot members attached-to the under side of said bottom, each of the foot members comp'ising a plate of sheetrne-tal having an opening therethrough with an annular depending fiange around the opening, and a cylindrical pad of compressible material forced through said opening, said pad nornally being of larger diameter than the diameter of the opening'and expanding 'back to normal size below said flange, substantially as described.

ln testimony Whereof I afiix my signature.

ISAAC WAGEMAKER. 

